Decoding the Myth of Sidney Jeffryes - free panel discussion

Sidney Jeffryes is one of those 'secondary' characters that through a mix of fate and fancy, find themselves at times on the periphery, at times up close and personal, in significant historical encounters.

Jeffryes applied to travel with Douglas Mawson on the SY Aurora, when it travelled to Antarctica in December 1911, but Mawson rejected him.
But Fate stepped in, and at the end of 1912 when the Aurora returned to passage Mawson and his crew back to Hobart after their year in Antarctica, Jeffryes was on board!

When Douglas Mawson, along with his expeditioner companions, Belgrave Ninnis and Xavier Mertz, failed to return to base camp in time for the Aurora's departure back to Hobart, Sidney Jeffryes volunteered to remain in Antarctica and search for Mawson and his party.

So despite Mawson's intentions and his judgement, he finds himself, trapped on Antarcica for a second year, with Sidney Jeffreys, who, througout the dark winter of 1913, becomes mad, and ends up believing he is Jesus Christ.

But this is just part of the Myth of Sidney Jeffryes.

Join panel chair, Dr Carolyn Philpott, Professor Elle Leane and Professor Kim Norris, as well as Joe Bugden, composer of the chamber opera, The Callof Aurora (which will directly follow this panel discussion), as they ponder the enigma of Sidney Jeffryes, and seek to decode some of the mythology that has grown over recent years (in the way that myths have a habit of doing).

The Peacock Theatre
Salamanca Arts Centre
77 Salamanca Place
HOBART TAS 7000